An update from Prue Daley of Parks Vic on timelines for reopening Vc range roads and whether it is legal to cycle along tghe closed roads :

"Depending on weather conditions we are hoping to open the main entry roads and visitor sites on the western side of the park by the end of August. This will include Glenelg River and Roses Gap Road, Billimina, Buandik, Manja, Red Rock area, Chimney Pots, Strachans and Boreang camping areas.

The roads are currently closed to all vehicles including bikes but this will change once the roads are open."

I havent really been follwing this situation and dont have a guide handy so dont know what the road closures mean in relation to individual crag access..... Is it possible to access Muline or the Gallery or are those the roads that are screwed??

On 19/07/2011 climbingjac wrote:>And to think that people looked surprised when I said quite bluntly "that>area will remain closed till September at least. There is little point>in Parks Vic scurrying to open it for the wet winter".
And I won't hold my breath.

On 20/07/2011 Doug Bruce wrote:>Thanks for posting the map, Tracey. It looks like you can get close to>Mt Rosea but not quite all the way. Is that right?
The closest you can get to Rosea by road is the Silverband falls carpark, several kilometres from the start of the Rosea walking track. I'm not sure whether you're allowed to walk up the Silverband road - it may be a construction site.
Current estimate from Vicroads for Silverband falls road reopening is May 2012.
The viewpoint track to Sundial peak is open (national parks advice 10/6) but the advice notes that "there is no further access to other walking tracks from this point".
Perhaps you can enjoy the delights of Sundial Peak or the Lower Sundial, which is something like the Sydney Seacliffs without that locations redeeming features.

On 21/07/2011 ademmert wrote:>Anyone have any idea when the Halls gap dunkeld (Grampiand road) will be>open???
I have a vic roads update which i will post later - on the tram at mo.
Have an update meeting 10th august in halls gap so might get some more info then but think it will pretty much be along the lines as the last info. When we get to end of august, i suppose we will see if dates have changed.
@Doug Bruce. The rosea and bundaleer general area is probably one of the trickiest to access because the main roads that vicroads are handling are some of the most badly damaged so getting into them bar a really long hike is not going to be easy and i think you will find that accessing those closed roads on foot is still not an option.

• VicRoads is currently working to repair the road between Halls Gap and the
Wonderland Turntable.
• Installation of retaining walls to repair five landslips - 15% complete.
• Recycle of landslip material to separate rock and soil for beaching - 90%
complete.
• Kerb and channel installation works on lower section of the road - 50%
complete.
• Drainage repair works to culverts - 75% complete.
• Temporary traffic lights are in place between Zumsteins and Mackenzie Falls to
direct traffic around a remaining landslip. Traffic will be reduced to a single lane
at this site.

Estimated reopening: November 2011 (weather dependent). Sections may be
opened before this time.

Silverband Falls Road
• The section between Grampians Road and Silverband carpark is open. The
section beyond Silverband carpark has sustained very serious damage.
• Works are currently being tendered for the reconstruction of the road beyond
the carpark.

Just heard on the local ABC news that access to large parts of Gariwerd will be opened up "as early" as next week. A ranger was giving the statement (didn't catch his name). Specific roads weren't mentioned but Billimina (Buandik) campground was along with Strachans and "through to Wartook". This is great news for all of us who are missing our Vic Range fix.
So, probably not this weekend but maybe the next. keep an eye on the Grampians National Park page for updates (nothing new on there yet) : http://www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/1park_display.cfm?park=109

Works update:
Grampians Road
VicRoads is working to reopen the section of road between Halls Gap and Dunkeld pending the following works:
• Fyans Creek Bridge (No. 1) - 95% complete. Road surfacing to be done.
• Fyans Creek Bridge (No. 2) – 5% complete. Water level must drop for
contractors to access and repair bridge foundations. Works may need to
continue on this bridge when the road is reopened.
• Bovine Creek Bridge - 50% complete.
• Installation of four major culverts - 90% complete.
• Resheeting works to repair badly damaged scoured road shoulders
between Silverband Road and Mt Abrupt have been completed.
• Further roadworks will still be required after the road is open to provide
permanent repairs as the weather improves.

Estimated reopening: Halls Gap to Dunkeld - late August 2011 (weather
dependent). Previous advice of a July opening has not been achieved due to wet
weather which has made sites boggy and created variable water flows at bridge
sites making works difficult and slower than anticipated.

Northern Grampians Road (Mt Victory Road)
VicRoads is currently working to repair the road between Halls Gap and the
Silverband Falls Road intersection including:
• Installation of retaining walls to repair five landslips - 15% complete, with
another landslip identified for repair.
• Rock beaching has been dumped at various bridge sites but work cannot
be completed to place the beach until water recedes in the creek. Wet
weather is also delaying construction of endwalls and beaching placement.
• Kerb and channel installation works on lower section of the road - 75%
complete.
• Drainage repair works to culverts and culvert installation - 75% complete.
• Temporary traffic lights are in place between Zumsteins and Mackenzie
Falls to direct traffic around a remaining landslip. Traffic has been reduced
to a single lane at this site. This site will be repaired as weather permits.

Silverband Falls Road
• The section between Grampians Road and Silverband car park is open.
The section between Silverband car park and Northern Grampians Road
has sustained very serious damage and will be closed for at least nine to
ten months.
• Tenders have closed for a contract to manage the reconstruction of the
road between the car park and Northern Grampians Road. A contract is
expected to be awarded in August. A start date will be finalised after the
contract is awarded.

On 27/07/2011 gfdonc wrote:>Is it possible, then, to access Rosea from the Bundaleer side (Glenelg>River Rd)?>
Steve,
It's not currently possible. At present all Parks roads in the Vic Valley are closed.
The announcement by Parks yesterday said that many of the main access roads will be opening in the next week but the roads weren't specified. It sounds like at least some of Glenelg River Road will be opened but the tracks from there to Rosea might be a different story.
The road past Eastern Wall to Bundaleer will definitely not be open - it's closed because of the rock wallaby project. The other possibility is the Stoney Creek Road but I would be surprised if that is opened this time. I might be wrong of course.